Home Improvement Stores

• Apple

  

  Any thoughts on home improvement stores?
  
  Out of the big 3 around here (NE OH), Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, I'd rate them:
  1. Menards - Awesome store, unfortunately too few stores for convenience.
  2. Lowes - Usually has everything I ever need, except we had a bad experience with them doing a window install that makes us think twice before giving them more business.
  3. Home Depot - Never the first choice, pretty much last resort option.
• BR1986FB

  Menard's is awesome but many times I get my stuff at Carter Lumber. Carter doesn't have as much selection as those big 3 but their price is usually a lot better.
• Old Rider

  

  Apple;1762383 wrote:Any thoughts on home improvement stores?
  
  Out of the big 3 around here (NE OH), Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, I'd rate them:
  1. Menards - Awesome store, unfortunately too few stores for convenience.
  2. Lowes - Usually has everything I ever need, except we had a bad experience with them doing a window install that makes us think twice before giving them more business.
  3. Home Depot - Never the first choice, pretty much last resort option.

  Never let any of these stores do the "install" of anything. Hire a real contractor or DIY...
• ernest_t_bass

  

  Fuck Lowes.
• Devils Advocate

  

  I don't know nuthin boutem.
• Apple

  

  Devils Advocate;1762394 wrote:I don't know nuthin boutem.

  LOL!!!! Nice to see you posting DA! I actually remember seeing you and the little bird at the Tipp Menards a few years ago!
  
  The install we had done by Lowes was for a couple huge picture windows on the second floor. Too big and too high for me to do it DIY and contractors were out of our price-range. The install itself was decent, no problems. It was arranging to have it measured and then schedule the install time/date was incredibly frustrating. This was with the Lancaster, OH Lowes. We now just go up 33 a mile and get things from Menards.
• 4cards

  

  ...No Menards over where we are, so we hit either of the other 2 big box stores for the item & then use local guys to do any installations.
• sportchampps

  Hate Home Depot their customer service sucks
• Sonofanump

  Menards seems lower quality, Lowes is more for lighting or organizational, Home Depot seems like hardware is better there. I'd rather buy my 2x4s locally where the selection is less picked over.
• gerb131

  

  Save big money when you cant find it at menards
• Belly35

  

  I go where I get the extra 10% off for military discount.... hope this helps
• salto

  

  More expensive than the large chain stores but 100000000000% better customer service at the locally owned hardware stores.
  
  This place is great-
  
  
  
  

  sportchampps;1762493 wrote:Hate Home Depot their customer service sucks

  
  
  ^
• Midstate01

  

  Belly35;1762546 wrote:I go where I get the extra 10% off for military discount.... hope this helps

  Durkie hates you.
• superman

  The Home Depot here is great. There are a bunch of retired guys that work there and they are extremely helpful and give great advice.
• Tiernan

  I always chuckle when I hear how customer focused "local hardwares" are...most of them have kids that don't know shit working there. The Home Depot by us is excellent.. Great prices and knowledgeable help in all depts. Sorry but Mom & Pop retail anything is dead, they just haven't buried the body yet.
• Classyposter58

  

  Tiernan;1763595 wrote:I always chuckle when I hear how customer focused "local hardwares" are...most of them have kids that don't know shit working there. The Home Depot by us is excellent.. Great prices and knowledgeable help in all depts. Sorry but Mom & Pop retail anything is dead, they just haven't buried the body yet.

  No usually not at all. In fact it seems to be the opposite, I used to work at Lowes before getting a real job and it was a joke. Worked in the Power Equipment dept and frequently would have to go outside to help customers in the Nursery bc the people outside didn't know anything about the plants hardly
• Tiernan

  well what would you expect in Bowling Green? It's a windswept nowhere.
• ts1227

  

  Sonofanump;1762499 wrote:Menards seems lower quality, Lowes is more for lighting or organizational, Home Depot seems like hardware is better there. I'd rather buy my 2x4s locally where the selection is less picked over.

  You have to know what you're buying at Menards. Some of their really cheap stuff is insanely low quality, but they still beat most everywhere else on name brand and the common generics. We've got a Menards here so that's where I tend to go. This weekends trip was new guts for a toilet.
• j_crazy

  

  i prefer home depot because it's close and cheaper usually. I'm pretty big on looking shit up on the internet before i go to the store, so i rarely, if ever, have to rely on an associate to help me with anything. they always seem willing to help, but i haven't really needed it. I'll second sonofanump i like going local for lumber because you don't have to go through 2 bundles of wood to get 3 fucking 2x4's.